Project #3 Blog (TJ Acierno)

It is no news to the reader of this blog that what has happened in Japan over the last couple of weeks has been nothing but tragic. When I first heard about the tsunami I was back home in San Diego enjoying my spring break. I remember turning on the news and watching live on television a giant tsunami completely destroying Japan’s coast. In my opinion it looked like something out of a movie. There were homes that were collapsing and cars that were being crushed and thrown around. Here in the United States we have seen similar tragedies.

            The first one that comes to mind is September 11th . It was the worst terrorist attack on United States soil and the death toll almost reached 3,000 people. The death toll in Japan has already surpassed 4,000 people. The other tragedy that our nation encountered was when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf of Mexico. Thousands of people were left homeless and did not know what to do next.

            One organization that has always helped people when in need has been the American Red Cross. The American Red Cross specializes in providing aid, food, water, and shelter to places that are suffering. They are usually one of the first organizations to respond to any type of tragedy. The American Red Cross has lived up to their reputation and are helping the people that are suffering in Japan. Knowing that Major League Baseball has several Japanese players, the American Red Cross decided to team up with Major League Baseball and the two organizations have raised money for Japan. So far $60,000 dollars has been raised for Japan. This fundraising will continue into the regular season.

            Teams have set up special event fundraisers that will benefit Japan directly. Players have also made out of pocket donations like Ichiro Suzuki who donated $1.25 million dollars. That same amount was matched by his team, the Seattle Mariners .

            In a sports world that is so dominated by money and how much players and owners are making, it is nice and refreshing to see such generosity from these organizations and players. It is often the case that professional athletes get stereotyped as rich, selfish people. I personally love seeing this type of reaction to a tragedy because it just reminds us why we are attracted to sports in the first place, to gain enrichment and to learn from our role models.